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Thursday, November 13, 2008

fall fairy tales, part 2

Yesterday there was a commotion in the studio at Camp Cactus. Here's the rest of the story:

I watched mutely as she dried herself off with the kleenex and draped it carefully over a pincushion to dry. Wings fluttering gently, she perched on a small birch branch on my workbench. "Now that's much better," she chirped, "You're lucky I didn't drown on your doorstep!" She still looked a bit disheveled. A yellow flower-hat on her head was askew, and her chestnut colored hair was dripping on her tunic. She peered at me intently for a second, then shook her head at my apparent inability to speak.

I finally managed to blurt out, "You're a fairy!"

"Well, you sure do have a talent for stating the obvious, don'tcha?"

Hopping off the branch, she stuck out her hand and introduced herself. "The name's Marigold. Hope I didn't freak you out too much." She nodded toward Abbie, who was sniffing the air furiously in her direction. "I think the dog's about to hyperventilate. They can't really see me very well, but they can smell me."

"What are you doing here?" I was finally starting to regain my composure and my curiosity.

"I'm on temporary assignment here as the Leaf and Flower Painter. We're not supposed to paint in the rain, but I was getting behind, and then the wind picked up and started blowing me around like a dang seed pod, so I thought I'd duck in here for a bit."

"Well you're doing a wonderful job," I said, "the leaves are gorgeous."

"Shucks. It's my pleasure," she said, blushing from her cheeks to her toes. "Listen, I gotta skeedaddle. The rain's let up, and I've got stuff to do. Nice to meet ya."

"Come by anytime you like," I said.

And with that, she buzzed on out, promising to come back tomorrow and bring some friends.